1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to beverage dispensers, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an improved beverage dispenser adapted for dispensing beverages from various sized bottles.
2. Description of Related Art
Carbonated beverages are packaged in many different types and sizes of containers. One particular type of container commonly used to package carbonated beverages is a plastic bottle with a twist off cap. Such bottles are produced in various sizes to provide a single serving or multiple servings. Bottles which contain multiple servings generally come in two and three liter sizes.
While bottles of these sizes are generally more economical, they can also be quite cumbersome to handle, particularly when filled with fluid. Furthermore, when the cap is repeatedly removed from the bottle over a period of time and the beverage is poured from the bottle, the beverage is agitated thereby releasing the carbonation from the beverage. As additional amounts of beverage are poured from the bottle, the carbonation in the beverage is more readily released from the beverage due to the decrease in pressure within the bottle. This release of carbonation results in the beverage having an unfresh or "flat" taste.
In an effort to overcome the drawbacks of purchasing beverages in large bottles, several apparatuses have previously been suggested for dispensing beverages from bottles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,009, issued to Novitsky, discloses a beverage dispenser which has a dispensing tube with a puncturing end to pierce the cap of an inverted beverage bottle. The dispenser is shaken to agitate the carbonated beverage to increase pressure and eventually dispense the entire contents of the beverage container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,144, issued to Feldman, discloses a beverage dispensing apparatus which chills and dispenses beverages from an upright beverage bottle. A balloon is inflated to deform the beverage bottle and force the contents out of the bottle.
Another beverage dispenser is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,855, issued to Ramsey. This dispenser includes a base with a dispensing passageway and a bleed passageway. A bushing is mounted in the base for threadingly receiving an inverted beverage bottle. The bushing must be changed out when bottles of different sizes are connected to the dispenser in light of the fact that the diameter of the threaded neck of the bottle varies with the size of the bottle.
While many of the prior art beverage dispensers, including those taught by the above referenced patents, have achieved varying degrees of success, such dispensers are inconvenient to operate, particularly when an individual desires to purchase bottles of different sizes. Furthermore, such dispensers are not capable of repressurizing the interior of the bottle so as to maintain the carbonation, and thus freshness, of the contents in the bottle.